Virginia Health Commissioner and Board of Health:

Amend Virginia's politically-motivated Targeted Regulations on Abortion Providers (TRAP) regulations to reflect medicine and science. In 2016, the Supreme Court ruled in Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt that restrictions that have no medical benefit and are designed simply to limit access to abortion and shut down healthcare clinics are unconstitutional. Virginia's architectural requirements are clearly unconstitutional under this standard.

Further, the excessive administrative requirements present an additional undue burden to providers and patients in a blatant attempt to paperwork women's health centers out of business.  If providers are forced to close women will be forced to obtain abortions in unsafe environments which will lead to morbidity and mortality.  The regulations are clearly suggested for political and not medical reasons. They place undue burdens on women. Many women have compelling medical and social reasons to undergo these procedures and need access to the safe procedure.

I hope you will prioritize patient confidentiality and access to healthcare as you consider amendments to Virginia's abortion provider regulations.  Please heed the expertise of doctors, medical professionals, and legal experts and amend these onerous, medically-unnecessary, and unconstitutional regulations to be based only on science and the standard of care.